The City Of Lost Fortunes - Bryan Camp

Synopsis:

The fate of New Orleans rests in the hands of a wayward grifter in this novel of gods, games, and monsters.

The post–Katrina New Orleans of The City of Lost Fortunes is a place haunted by its history and by the hurricane’s destruction, a place that is hoping to survive the rebuilding of its present long enough to ensure that it has a future. Street magician Jude Dubuisson is likewise burdened by his past and by the consequences of the storm, because he has a secret: the magical ability to find lost things, a gift passed down to him by the father he has never known—a father who just happens to be more than human.

Jude has been lying low since the storm, which caused so many things to be lost that it played havoc with his magic, and he is hiding from his own power, his divine former employer, and a debt owed to the Fortune god of New Orleans. But his six-year retirement ends abruptly when the Fortune god is murdered and Jude is drawn back into the world he tried so desperately to leave behind. A world full of magic, monsters, and miracles. A world where he must find out who is responsible for the Fortune god’s death, uncover the plot that threatens the city’s soul, and discover what his talent for lost things has always been trying to show him: what it means to be his father’s son.

Review:

The City of Lost Fortunes is one of those books that takes magic, mythology, folklore and culture, throws it all into a blender and ends up being that smoothie that's a mix of mind blowing fantasy. It's unique and highly engaging, there's even a chance that The City of Lost Fortunes could be described as fantasy on steroids!

This novel was an absolute joy to read what with such a beautiful writing that guided me through time and dimensions as if it were a dream. The gods, monsters and mythological undertone blew my imagination.

The conflict at the centre of this book is not a simple one but rather a large cluster of events that through cause and effect guide Jude towards truths and a fate that he never considered.

There is a lot of magic in this book, suppressed magic, magic that has been taken away and magic that has been enhanced. And one way, or another, Jude experiences magic in all forms. But he is not a know-it-all; he learns and discovers and gambles… the game among gods and monsters isn’t over until the final card has been dealt.

Yeah, Jude is a bit of a wise-cracker! I loved his character- his intelligent, analytical mind, his particular view of men, gods, magic. Everything he goes through in this book, and it’s a LOT, he takes it in his stride, without complaint, even when he ends up experiencing an unexpected … ahem.. out of body experience of sorts! As he investigates the murder, and as his very essence hangs in the balance, Jude must remain alert to recognize friend from foe.

I liked all of the characters in the book- some of them we have all heard about through various tales, but it seemed to me that Bryan Camp is a special kind of puppeteer to bring them all together: angels, vampires, zombies, psychopomps, voodoo loas riding the human bodies, ghouls… I’m telling you, this book is a treasure and when you’re reading it, you’re the pirate taking a dive into a loot of pure gold.

The City of Lost Fortunes is an ode, a dedication, to New Orleans and its people. A fantastic, imaginative fairytale-like puzzle of gods and monsters, supernatural folklore and myths. It is an incredible venture into a world otherwise unseen to mere mortals, topped up with a generous dose of attitude, unexpected nuggets of wisdom and twists, underlined by an unwillingness to fold in a game with an open ending. Basically, do yourself a favour and read this book. Its a 5/5 from me and in a world where the number would be out of 10, it would still be a top scorer.

Champions: At Fires End (Champions #1) - Charlotte Jain

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old best friends, April and Kyle, are thrown into the final battle of the Titan and Olympian war. Locked into an endless struggle, the Immortals have finally reached a solution - bestow mortal Champions with control over the elements to wage their final campaign.

Bestowed with control over fire and water, April and Kyle were raised by Immortals with a single purpose - win the war. After finally uncovering the remaining Champions' identities, April and Kyle must launch themselves into their final battle for survival. Winner takes all. But the Immortals are growing restless, and time is running out. 

Review:

Thanks to Charlotte whom provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The story follows April and Kyle, two 17-year olds who've been chosen as two of the four Champions to wage the war for the Olympians against the Titans on earth. Both teenagers were raised and trained by Immortals, and both hold powers given to them at birth which allows them to control fire and and water along with several other abilities which are a little sprinkle pf surprise when they make an appearance. April and Kyle are on a mission to find the remaining two Champions as they come in pairs, but they’re supposed to train and then go on to destroy them. As both of them come to struggle to control their abilities that are slowly but surely wearing them down the inevitable war moves closer and closer and that's all they think about.

First of all, I went in to this book without any expectations, that's mostly down to me not knowing what to truly expect from the book. I really liked how Charlotte's story played out in the end, I loved the vivid descriptions which allowed me to, without much effort imagine each and every setting. Both the main characters and the side characters were well developed and portrayed, I wasn't too fond of Kim for some reason but I was inevitably drawn to Noah whom had this dark presence about him but that's a whole new can of worms that we definitely wont be opening here.

I used to love Greek Mythology as a kid so the mention of it within this book kind of re-awoke the child in me and loved it just as much as I did. I loved each part of the story and definitely wasn't expecting the ending. I got completely lost in the book, fully immersed and in love with what I was reading. April felt like a best friend for me I really hooked onto her or her to me and I was simply unable to not get any sort of emotional or on edge when she was involved in something. I did remain neutral on Kyle though, at first I loved him and all he was and brought to the story but by the time it ended, after all that had happened throughout the book I didn't hate nor love him. But all the characters were greatly written and portrayed and id happily give this book a 4/5 and ill definitely be wanting to see how the rest of this series goes.

If you’re a fan of Greek Mythology like my inner child and Percy Jackson, you may want give this series a go.